CHAPTER 5
Legolas was angry. Angrier than he probably ever was. And he didn't like it. He hung there, bloody, bruised, and broken. But not beaten, and that was what he kept telling himself.
After he was awoken from his dream, he found that there was indeed another session. That's where he found himself now. The metal cuffs actually had by this point worn through is wrists to the muscles, and infection had set in.
During one of his more lucid moments between abuses, he had tried to take stock of himself. From what he could tell, every one of his ribs on his right side was either cracked or broken. At least one of his left ribs had broken, for after one particularly brutal hit, the pain was quickly followed by panic, for he couldn't breath. His lung had been punctured. He now had adjusted, but still felt as if he was hyperventilating. Luckily, his legs hadn't been broken, but they had been burnt and bruised and pierced plenty of time, and the infections raging from the multiple wounds was a constant course of pain, even when left alone. He no longer was allowed to lay on the floor, and was left hanging from the wall because his captors had probably tired of having to lift him into position every time. The only movement besides the blows was when they decided to either have him face the wall or them. He now faced the wall. Everything from the back of his neck to the back of his calves was receiving the blows this time. He couldn't imagine a single place on his body not already marred. They now were reopening the whip scares on his back and backside with a burning chain. They liked sick things like that: taking one torture and making it worse. The chains were light enough to be swung hard, but heavy enough to break skin, and even bone in some places, such as his collarbone. But by heating them, when they made contact, they burnt as well. Wryly, he found it ironic, since the burning actually cauterized his wounds, keeping his blood loss minimized, but that thought quickly left as the chains found his already dislocated shoulder. What little broth water they force-fed him did little to keep his strength. He was exhausted, but knew better than to put his head against the wall. When he first tried this, they took advantage and went to beating his upper torso, so as to pound his head into the stones. He quickly learned no to do that again.
" Why are you so silent?" A heavy whisper in his ear. He hated their voices, but when they taunted him, at least they couldn't beat him. So he endured their taunts, their threats, their insults. They only angered him more though. He didn't like this anger. He was known to have a temper, but it was slow to rise. Their constant torment was fueling his anger, and it was quickly rising. Then again, in this case, it only made him stronger, but helpless as he was, that strength had nowhere to go. He willed his anger back as another forceful strike hit his lower back.
When he got out of here, he wondered if was going to be able to even move himself. He knew that his father probably knew of his capture, he had to by now. He wasn't sure exactly how long he had been held captive since he wasn't always awake or aware. And after his last experience with sleep, he feared going back. All was silent again, the figure besides him had stopped taunting him, but now had decided to try and force some cries out of him. He shut his eyes against the onslaught, for they had abandoned the chains and were now using miniscule daggers. His torturers were almost artistic in their attacks. They didn't stab with them, instead, they traced slicing designs over his body. At least with the chains he had moments between the strikes, but with two beings each wielding a dagger in both hands, he wasn't even allowed that simple rest.
As he hung there in total disgrace, enduring their taunting and their torture, the prince of Mirkwood abandoned thought as his body was used as a pale canvas for their blood paints, his blood paint, and again focused on neither crying out or letting his agony fall from his closed lids. Darkness did not come to save him this time.